Magsnap

ABSTRACT

MagSnap is a miniature tethered projectile toy comprised of a cap and handle joined by an elongated cord. The cap and handle both contain magnets. The toy is approximately 7.5 millimeters in length. The player casts the cap upward and then attempts to align the handle with the cap so that the cap descends or ascends onto the handle and magnetism joins the cap and handle. Magnetism and the natural attraction to north can be used to accomplish a number of different maneuvers. The miniature size of the toy enables the player to attempt the different maneuvers or snaps.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention is a miniature skill toy whose main parts includea cylindrical cap tethered by a cord to a handle. The player attempts tocontrol the toss of the cap such that it ascends or descends andattaches, through magnetic attraction, to the handle. Magnetism and theplacement of the magnets on the cap and handle are the key components ofthis invention. One of the magnets is placed in the cap with the sideattracted to north facing outward as the magnetic surface side of thecap. The handle contains the other magnet, with the side attracted tosouth facing outward as the magnetic surface side of the handle. FIGS.3-6 illustrate some of the maneuvers that can be accomplished. FIG. 7illustrates the directions that a player should face to accomplish thedifferent maneuvers.

[0002] Although similar toys in the past have utilized the principal ofplacing a cap or body onto a handle, none of them have utilized magnetsand their natural attraction to north as an essential part of theinvention. MagSnap is a game of skill in which the player can usemagnetic north in such a way to increase his chance of accomplishing thedifferent maneuvers.

[0003] Terrell, U.S. Pat. No. 2,485,788, an early version of a tetheredprojectile toy, has a body (the word “body” is used because the head hasa significantly greater mass than the handle, unlike the MagSnap, thehandle of which has greater mass than the cap) with one end recessed andwith a borehole therein. After the body is cast, the player manipulatesa handle with a pintle such that the borehole of the body falls onto thepintle. The body of the toy in Terrell is significantly larger than thecap of the MagSnap. The body is so large that it makes it difficult fora player to accomplish some of the difficult maneuvers of the MagSnap(FIGS. 3-6).

[0004] The MagSnap is a miniature tethered projectile, but it has twomagnets, one at the end of the cap and the other on the end of thehandle. The magnets and the small size of the MagSnap make it moreversatile than the Terrell toy. The magnets make it possible to evenaccomplish an upside-down snap (FIG. 4), a maneuver that is virtuallyimpossible with the Terrell toy.

[0005] Darcy, U.S. Pat. No. 3,173,690, utilizes magnetism, but the bodyappears to be the same size or bigger than the handle. Darcy alsoincludes a game of chance, which, in one version, is a die that moves ina chamber of the body. The player must dock the tethered body on thehandle before the game of chance is played. The drawings and the factthe body must be large enough to include a chamber where the die isplaced indicate that the body is large when compared to the miniaturizedcap of the MagSnap. As in Terrell, the large size of the body makes itdifficult to accomplish the maneuvers that the MagSnap can do. Darcystates that the handle includes a hand grip, which also suggests thatthe toy is considerably larger than the MagSnap. In fact, in themodification of the Darcy toy, the hand grip must be large enough tohold dry cell batteries. In contrast, the miniaturized handle of theMagSnap may be held in a person's fingertips.

[0006] The Darcy invention focuses on the game of chance and does notfocus on the skill aspect of the game. Darcy does not mention the toycan be used to accomplish different maneuvers. Most importantly, Darcymentions nothing about the effect of magnetic attraction to north onplacement of the magnetically attractable metal. With the MagSnap,proper placement of the magnets is key to enabling it to successfullyaccomplish the different maneuvers. The magnet in the cap must be placedwith the side attracted to north facing outward as the magnetic surfaceside of the cap. If the magnet is placed with the side attracted tonorth facing inward into the cap, the cap will be difficult tomanipulate because it will tend to turn or flip up toward north whilethe player is attempting a maneuver. Since the magnet in the cap must beplaced with the side attracted to north facing outward as the magneticsurface side of the cap, the magnet in the handle must be placed withthe side attracted to south facing outward as the magnetic surface sideof the handle.

[0007] Unlike Darcy or any other previous tethered projectile toys, theMagSnap utilizes magnetism and attraction to north as a force of natureto be compensated for when attempting the different maneuvers. FIG. 7indicates the recommended directions for both left-handers andright-handers a player should face to accomplish the different types ofmaneuvers or “snaps.” For example, for the swing-over snap, a playershould face south when attempting this snap because the cap's magnet'sattraction to north needs to be compensated for. In the swing-over snap(see FIG. 5), the cap begins in a stationary position with the magneticsurface side facing the ground. The player, holding the handle, thencasts the cap, it swings over approximately 180 degrees, and then theplayer holds the handle upright. When the cap comes close to the handle,magnetic attraction brings the two components together, resulting in thecap docking on the handle. If the player faces south, during theduration of the swing the magnetic surface of the cap, which isattracted to north, will turn towards the north when in free flight—nopull resistance from the attached string. This enables the cap to benaturally attracted to the northern direction of the swing, thusfacilitating a smooth swing until the magnetic surface of the cap comesclose to the magnet in the handle.

[0008] As an additional example, when trying to accomplish theupside-down snap (FIG. 4), it doesn't matter what direction the playeris facing. The direction the player is facing is unimportant becauseplay begins with the magnetic surface of the cap facing down at theground. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the player holds the handle upsidedown, with the top of the handle facing down, and then moves the handleupward, causing the tethered cap to fly upward. The handle and cap bothface down through most of play until the end of the pull resistance onthe cap, at which point the magnetic surface of the cap will turntowards a north direction until it attaches to the magnetic surface ofthe handle. There is no attraction to north to compensate for since theinitial pull on the cap is straight up. Therefore, there is norecommended direction for the player to face. The recommendation wouldbe that the eyelet on the handle be on the south side during the pull onthe cap.

[0009] Luchsinger Pat. No. 3,365,839 is another toy with two tetheredmembers that may be joined by magnetism, but the members are relativelylarge, one being a hand-held, shallow, flared cup and the other being asphere. The sphere must be light so as not to stress the elastic tetherand to facilitate its attraction to the magnet in the cup. Operation ofthe toy requires a minimum of manual dexterity. Indeed, a toddler maypull on the sphere and by chance effect a join with the cup. In contrastto the Luchsinger toy, the MagSnap is a much smaller toy and requires amuch higher level of fine and gross motor coordination. MagSnap is amuch more versatile toy that can be used to accomplish a number ofdifferent types of maneuvers.

[0010] In summary, the MagSnap allows for greater versatility ofapplication than the aforementioned tethered toys. The miniature size ofthe toy enables a player to use it to accomplish a number of differenttypes of maneuvers or snaps. The main difference between the MagSnap andthe aforementioned tethered toys is that the MagSnap has been inventedwith the purpose of using magnetism and the stronger attraction to northin the northern hemisphere as important components in a challenging gamerequiring much fine and gross motor coordination. It is important tonote that in the southern hemisphere, the magnets would be inserted sothat the magnetic surface side of the cap is the south side and themagnetic surface side of the handle is the north side.

[0011] None of the aforementioned tethered toys has combinedminiaturization with magnetism and natural attraction to north in such achallenging game of skill.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the MagSnap, a miniature tetheredprojectile toy with a magnetic weight in the handle and the capaccording to a typical embodiment of the present invention.

[0013]FIG. 2 is a cross-section view of the FIG. 1 toy detailing themagnetic weights resting on plastic casings and the approximatedimensions of the weights, handle, cap, and cord.

[0014]FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6 illustrate several possible applications ormaneuvers. FIG. 3 shows the usual upward cast or balance snap. FIG. 4illustrates the upside-down snap. FIG. 5 shows the swing-over snap. FIG.6 illustrates the clockwise side snap.

[0015]FIG. 7 illustrates the suggested directions a player should facefor each particular maneuver or snap.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0016] In FIG. 2, the game device in accordance with the invention isdesignated generally by the reference numeral 1 and embodies in itsconstruction a handle 2 and a substantially cylindrical cap 3 which istethered by an elongated flexible element such as a cord 6 to thehandle. The invention is miniature in size, preferably about 7.5 mm inlength, the cap 3 being about 1.5 mm in width and 1.8 mm in length, thehandle 2 being about 5.7 mm in length, and the tethering element 6 about19 mm in length.

[0017] The invention is preferably formed of plastic. The cap's plasticcasing 10 forms a hollow core 8 the sides of which form a platform 11upon which rests a magnetic weight 5 approximately 1.2 mm in diameter.The side of the magnet attracted to north faces outward as the magneticsurface side of the cap. The top of the cap tapers to an eyelet 12 towhich a cord 6 is attached. The opposite end of the cord 6 is attachedto an eyelet 13 on the side near the top of the handle 2. The plasticcasing 9 of the handle 2 flares 14 near the top to allow space for amagnetic weight 4. The side of the magnet attracted to south facesoutward as the magnetic surface side 17, away from the handle 2. Thesides of the casing's 9 hollow core 7 form a platform 15 upon whichrests the magnetic weight 4 which has dimensions similar to the magnet 5in the cap 3.

[0018] The invention 1 is operated by holding the handle 2 in eitherhand and casting the cap 3 into the air in a direction indicated inFIGS. 3-6 for the different types of maneuvers. Depending on the type ofmaneuver, the player then attempts to align the handle 2 under or overthe cap 3 so that the magnets 4,5 attract each other, and the cap 3attaches to the handle 2.

[0019] While the invention has been illustrated and described in detailin the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be consideredas illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understoodthat only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and thatall changes and modifications that come within the spirit of theinvention are desired to be protected.

1. A miniature tethered projectile game device, comprising a projectablecap, a handle, an elongated flexible tethering element, with cap andhandle being capable of engagement at a wide variety of angles, such awide range of applications made possible by miniaturization of the capand handle, a magnet in the cap, a magnet in the handle, and magneticattraction to north and south.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein theside of the magnet in the cap attracted to north is the surface side ofthe cap and the side of the magnet in the handle attracted to south isthe surface side of the handle.
 3. The combination of claim 2 whereinthe cap is made of plastic casing surrounding a hollow core, and thehandle is also made of plastic casing surrounding a hollow core.
 4. Thecombination of claim 3 wherein the cap is approximately 1.8 mm in lengthand 1.5 mm in width and the handle is approximately 5.7 mm in length.